Button-feeding mechanism.



' PATENTED SEPT. 1'7, 1907.

ELP. MERWIN. BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14.1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

rum/rm? 65W 61% ATTORNEY THE NdRRls PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, 04 c.

No. 866,046. PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1902.

I E. .P. MERWIN. 4

BUTTON FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE14.190'I..

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WITNESSES: INVENTOH 1H: NORRIS PETERS co., wAsnupcrolv, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD P. MERWIN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW'JERSEY.

BUTTON-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1907.

Application filed June 14, 1907- Serial No. 378,884.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EDWARD P; MERWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying draw- I ings.

This invention relates to an improvement in devices for presenting buttons for attachment to fabrics and is designed particularly for embodiment in button sewing machines of that class represented in the United States patent to W. E. Bennett, No. 465,334, dated December 15, 1891, for sewing on shank-buttons.

The invention has for its object to provide means for varying the frequency of separation and transfer of buttons from a hopper to a chute through which they are delivered to a point adjacent the stitching position for successive presentation to the stitch-forming mechanism. r

Heretofore, in devices of this class in which a separator has been provided within a hopper for selecting and picking up at random individual buttons of the con-. tained mass, it has been impracticable to employ the same mechanism for buttons of different size and character, for the reason that when adapted for the larger or dull-finished buttons the smaller or glossy-finished buttons would be introduced into the chute too fast, while mechanism fitted for the smaller and more easily handled buttons proved deficient in manipulating the larger buttons. By providing means for varying. the action of the button-handling devices for different classes of work, the scope of the machine is greatly increased without any exchange of parts such as has been requisite heretofore for a corrcsponding range of work.

In its preferred form, the present improvement comprises a button sewing machine having the usual base in which is journaled the main-shaft and the cam-shaft for imparting the various operative movements to the several members, and the overhanging bracket-arm carrying the button-hopper and the chute leading therefrom to a point adjacent the needle-path from the lower end of which the buttons are successively taken by an oscillating and reciprocating button-holder or carrier for presentation to the stitch-forming devices.

The lower end of the hopper is provided with an inclined button-feeding cylinder having longitudinal peripheral shank-receiving grooves and with ratchet teeth upon its lower face engaged by the operative end of a pawl-lever pivotally mounted upon a vertically vibrating actuating lever, said pawl-lever being yieldingly maintained by means of a spring in operative relation with the ratchet-teeth of the button-feeding cylinder. The reciprocating rock-shaft which imparts the requisite movements to the button-holder or carrier derives its reciprocating movements from a rocklever working in a path adjacent a depending arm or extension of the pawl-lever, and such rock-lever is provided with a pivoted stop-arm adapted, when in operative relation therewith, to engage the tail or extension of the pawl-lever and throw the latter out of operative relation with the ratchet-teeth of' the button-feeding cylinder."

The actuating cams for producing the described movements of the vertically vibrating actuating lever for the pawl-lever and the rock-lever carrying the stoparm are so designed as to impart to the latter one toand-fro movement for each two such movements of the former, whereby the stop-arm may be caused to engage the tail or extension of the pawl-lever for each alternate operative stroke of the same, to produce a step-by-step rotary movement of the button-feeding cylinder reduced from the normal rate of speed.

By shifting the stop-arm upon its supporting rocklever out of operative relation with the tail of the pawllever, the latter is permitted to maintain its operative relation with the button-feeding cylinder so as to produce its maximum and normal effect upon the buttonfeeding mechanism.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a button sewing machine provided with the present improvements, with the button-hopper and a portion of the chute represented in section, and certain removable portions of the casing of the machine omitted to expose the operative parts; and Fig. l is a detached elevation of the button-feeding cylinder and parts of its actuating mechanism in a different position from that represented in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the rearward portion of the machine with a part of the frame, the button-hopper and feeding cylinder, and certain other parts omitted.

As represented in the drawings, the machine is constructed with the base 1 and overhanging bracket-arm 2. The main-shaft 3 is journaled longitudinally in the base 1 and carries at its rearward end the loose belt wheel 4 and fixed clutch-collar 5 cooperating therewith in a well-known manner, and the fixed balance- Wheel 6. Near its forward end the main-shaft is provided with a small gear-wheel 7 which meshes with a gear-wheel 8 of twice its diameter fixed upon the camshaft 9 provided with the several cams for actuating the stitch-forming, work-advancing and button-feeding and positioning mechanisms, which are or may be similar to those shown and described in the United States Patent No. 465,334, before mentioned. As the mechanisms for actuating the stitch-forming and work-advancing devices form no essential part of the present improvement, they are not herein specifically described, being represented in the accompanying drawings constructed in accordance with the Patent No.

Upon the top of the bracket-arm 2 is secured the button-chute formed with the usual shank-guiding groove 11 extending in a downwardly inclined direc tion from the circular plate 12 formed at the upper end of said chute and serving as a bottom for the hopper 13, to a point adjacent the path of reciprocation of the needle 14, where it is closed by the oscillating and axially reciprocating button-holder or carrier 15 which is in practice formed with the usual button-receiving cavity to engage the lowermost button within the chute and present its shank for the reception of the initial needlethread loop and subsequent passage of the needle whose loop is cast over the head of the button in the final step of the button-attaching operation, as shown and described in said prior patent.

Upon the cam-shaft 9 is fixed a cam cylinder 16 formed with cam-grooves 17 and 18 at the opposite ends and an intermediate camgroove 19 entered by a rollerstud 20 at the lower end of an upright lever 21 fulcrumed upon the standard of the bracket-arm at 22 and having at its upper end a stud 23 working within an inclined slot 24 in the free end portion of an actuating lever 25 fulcrurned at 26 upon the bracket-arm, and carrying at its outer extremity a pivotal screw-stud 27 entering a slot 28 in the pawl-lever 29 provided with an upper end portion notched in one edge to form a nose 30 adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth of the button-feeding cylinder 31. The pawl-lever 29 is provided with a depending arm or extension 32 having a forwardly projecting lug 33 with a perforation entered by one end of a spring 34 connected at the opposite end with the screw-pin 35 upon the actuating lever 25 and serving to yieldingly force the operative end of the pawllever upwardly with the lower end of the slot 28 seated against the fulcrum-stud 27, while tending to throw the same backwardly toward the button feeding cylinder 31.

As shown and described in the United States patent to G. E. Hardenbrook, No. 602,804, dated April 19, 1898, the button-hopper 13 is flared at its upper end and provided in its lower portion with a forwardly inclined tubular hub 36 in which is fitted the removable buttonhead confining ring 37 disposed concentric with the button-feeding cylinder 31 which is fixed upon the inclined shaft 38 passing through the side wall of the hopper and terminating in the hand-wheel 39. The button-feeding cylinder 31 is provided with a series of longitudinal peripheral button-shank receiving grooves or slits 40 and has upon its inclined lower end an annular series of short pins or studs 41 serving as ratchetteeth for the engagement of the nose 30 of the pawllever 29 in the propulsion of the button-feeding cylinder 31.

The button-holder or carrier 15 is fixed upon the rearward end of a longitudinally arranged rock-shaft 42 journaled in the depending arms of a bracket 43 at the forward end of the bracket-arm 2 between which arms it is provided with a segmental pinion 44 meshing with a segmental rack 45 at the end of a depending arm 46 fixed to the forward end of the reciprocating rock-shaft 47 slidably journaled in the bracket-arm and provided at its rearward end with a fixed collar 48 having a pin or stud 49 entering a slide -block 50 which is embraced by the forked upper end 51 of the rock-lever 52 fulcrumed by means of the screw-stud 53 upon the bracketarm and carrying at its lower end a roller-stud 54 entering the cam-groove 17 of the cam-cylinder 16. As indicated in Fig. 1, the cam-groove 17 is of such form as to produce one vibration of the lever 52 for each rotation of the cam-shaft 9, while the cam-groove 19 is formed to produce a vibration of the lever 21 for each semi-rotation of such shaft. The segmental extremity of the arm 46 is provided with cheek-plates 55 embracing the segmental pinion 44, whereby the endwise movement of the rock-shaft 47'produces through the arm 46, cheek'plates 55 and pinion 44 a corresponding endwise movement of the rock-shaft 42 with its buttoncarrier 15.

The oscillating movements of the rock-shaft 47 for producing the oscillations of the button-carrier 15 are produced by means of a collar 56 fixed thereon and provided with a longitudinal fin 57 embraced by spaced lugs 58 of a rocking arm 59 loosely mounted upon the shaft 47 and provided in practice with suitable means for preventing endwise movement thereon, the arm 59 being connected with the upper end of a reciprocating bar 60 whose lower end embraces the cam-shaft 9 and carries a lateral stud 61 entering a camgroove 62 in a cam-disk 63 fixed upon the shaft 9 and adapted to impart to the bar 60 a vertical reciprocation for each rotation of the cam-shaft.

To prevent the retrograde movement of the buttonfeeding cylinder 31, the usual detent pawl 64 is mounted within a slot in the bottom plate 12 of the hopper and is in practice maintained by means of a spring in permanent operative relation with the ratchet-pins 41 of the button-feeding cylinder.

The rock-lever 52 carries adjacent the path of movement of the lateral ear 33 of the pawl-lever extension 32 a stop-arm 65 pivotally mounted thereon by means of a screw-stud 66 and provided in its rearward face with a longitudinal groove 67 to receive the rounded extremity of the ear 33. The lower edge of the stoparm is adapted to rest upon the top of a flat supporting spring 68, shown herein secured at one end by means of a fastening screw 69 upon a laterally projecting portion 70 of the lever 52 adjacent the screw-pin 66. By pressing the spring 68 aside, the stop-arm 65 may be shifted downwardly out of the path of movement of the ear 33 of the pawl-lever to rest in contact with the shoulder afforded by the projection 70, thus permitting the pawl-lever to operatively engage the ratchet-teeth of the button-feeding cylinder for each reciprocation of the actuating lever 25; but when the stop-arm is raised to a position above its supporting spring 68 by a similar deflection of the latter, the longitudinal movement of the rock-lever 52 ccrries the stop-arm forwardly free from engagement with the pawl-lever during one upward and operative movement of the latter and backwardly into engagement with the pawllever to maintain it retracted from the ratchet-teeth 41 of' the button-feeding cylinder throughout the succeeding reciprocation of the pawl-lever. By pivotally mounting the stop-arm upon its carrying lever 52 it is adapted, when engaged by the extension of the pawllever, to follow the vertical movements of the latter under the action of the actuating lever 25 so as to maintain operative relation therewith throughout a complete reciprocation thereof.

In the employment of small shoe buttons, or those which readily enter the peripheral grooves or slots 40 of the button-feeding cylinder and pass readily without substantial resistance into the upper end of the button-chute 10, the requisite quantity of buttons can be maintained within the chute by setting the machine for a single actuation of the button-feeding cylinder for each complete rotation of the cam-shaft producing a complete button-fastening operation, the stop-arm (35 being shifted above its supporting spring 68, as represented in Figs. 1 and 1, the former showing the stoparm in operative engagement with the tail or extension of the pawl-lever 29 and the latter showing the upper end of the rock-lever 52 in its forward position, and

relation with the tail of the pawl-lever.

hence with the stop-arm 65 withdrawn from operative When buttons of a larger size or those less readily handled by the button selecting and supplying mechanism are introduced into the hopper, it is frequently found that the supply within the chute is not maintained with the same mechanism. Heretofore it has been necssary in such case for the operator to turn the shaft 38 by hand by the use of the hand-wheel 39 to replenish the supply within the chute, which caused a loss of time and curtailed the production of the machine. By the use of the present improvement, the operator may double the deficient supply of buttons transferred from the hopper to the chute by merely-shifting the stoparm (35 into its lower position, as represented in Fig. 2, when the button-feeding cylinder 31 is caused to receive two impulses for each button-attaching operation of the stitch-forming mechanism. In the continued use of the machine, the stop-arm 65 may be maintained in its lowered position throughout, or may be periodically shifted between its extreme positions as above described.

It will be observed that, in case the chute'should become entirely filled with buttons and the rotation of the cylinder 31 should be resisted by the partial introduction of a button from the same into the end of the chute, the breakage or injury of the button handling mechanism will be obviated by the yielding of the spring 34 affording a yielding connection between the pawl-lever 29 and its positively vibrated actuating lever 25.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1 1. A button-feeding device comprising a hopper, a chute leading therefrom, a button-selecting member for delivering buttons i'rom the hopper into the chute, actuating means for said button-selecting member, and means for varying the action of said actuating means upon the but ton-selecting member whereby the latter is controlled to vary the delivery of buttons to the chute.

2. A button-feeding device comprising a hopper, a chute leading therefrom, a rotary button-selecting member for delivering buttons from the hopper into the chute and pro vided with an annular series of ratchet-teeth, a pawl, means for yieldingly maintaining said pawl in operative relation with said ratchet-teeth, a reciprocating carrier for said pawl, a stopanember adapted to engage said pawl for maintaining it out of operative relation with said ratchetteeth. and means for maintaining said stop-member with drawn from operative relation with said pawl throughout a complete operative reciprocatory movement of the latter.

3. A button-feeding device comprising a hopper, a chute leading therefrom, a rotary button-selecting member for delivering buttonst'rom the hopper into the chute and provided with an annular series of ratchet-teeth, a pawl, means for yieldingly maintaining said pawl in operative relation with said ratchet-teeth, a reciprocating carrier for said pawl, a movable carrier, a stop-member movably mounted thereon, means for holding the same in operative and inoperative relation with said pawl, and means for shifting said movable carrier toward and from the normal path of reciprocation of said pawl once during a plu rality of reciprocations of said pawl.

-i. A button-feeding device comprising a hopper, a chute leading therefrom, a reciprocating button-carrier at the opposite end of said chute, means including a vibrating lever for reciprocating said button-carrier, a rotary buttonse lecting member for delivering buttons from the hopper into the chute and provided with an annular series of ratchet-teeth, a spring-pressed pawl normally engaging said ratchetteeth, a carrier therefor with means for im parting thereto a plurality of reciprocations or each vibration of the actuating lever of said buttton-carrier, a stopanember movably mounted upon said vibrating lever and adapted to engage said pawl to hold it out of operative relation with said ratcl1etteeth, and means whereby said stop-member may be maintained in operative or inoperative relation with said pawl.

5. A button-feeding device comprising a hopper, a chute leading therefrom, a reciprocating button-carrier at the op posite end of said chute, means including a vibrating lever for reciprocating said button-carrier, a rotary button-selecting member for delivering buttons from the hopper into the chute and provided with an annular series of ratchetteeth, a vibrating carrier-lever with means for imparting thereto a plurality of reciprocations for each vibration or the actuating lever of said button-carrier, a pawl-lever t'ulcrumed upon said carrier-lever and having an operative arm adapted to engage the ratchet-teeth of said buttorrselecting member and an oppositely extending arm or exten sion provided with a lateral lug, a spring interposed .be-

EDWARD P. MERVIN.

Witnesses D. P. BIRNIE, H. A. KoimmmNN. 

